The French dating app that lets you track down people you passed on the street seems like a stalker's dream

Happn is the latest
addition to the app-based dating scene. After securing $8 million
(£5.2 million) of funding, it now boasts close to 2 million
downloads and 700,000 active monthly users, founder
Didier Rappaport told Business Insider
UK. Around a third of those are in London.

Some have vilified the French app for being a stalker's dream.
After all, Happn helps you track down strangers whom you've
walked past, or queued for a coffee behind at
Pret. "This happn app is
taking stalking to the next level,"wrote
Danny Skinner on Twitter.

Rather than liking random people to match with in your general
location (like Tinder), Happn uses GPS to connect users who cross
paths within a 250 metre radius. So, whomever you encounter
(knowingly or not) and like the look of, you can see if they're
on Happn and tap the app's "heart" symbol to show your interest.
If they heart you back then the dating begins.

Happn works in a timeline system, which means the most recent
would-be date appears highest on your feed. There's no swiping,
however: if you want to push things forward and grab someone's
attention — rather than wait for them to "heart" you — you can
send them a "charm." There's a small fee involved for users who
want to send out more than 10.

Happn

When considered like-for-like with other dating apps, like Tinder
for instance, (an obvious comparison), Rappaport says "there's a
huge difference."

"Happn uses hyper-location and works in real time," he says.
"It's not like Tinder — sure, the swipe is clever, good
marketing, but Happn has more to it. It's instant and simple, but
allows people to express themselves and build a more substantial
profile."

I signed up to the app this morning and immediately saw my Happn
feed fill up with the women around me. I didn't recognise
anyone on the streets at lunchtime, but back in the office I discovered women who
work in the same building as I do.

There's a lot of information about people available on Happn. You
can see who you just walked past and where, how old they are,
what they do for a living, how far away they are now, and even
exactly when your paths crossed.

Author

It does seem like an invite to stalkers; then again, any dating
app is likely to attract oddballs. Just look at
Tinder. And, as Rappaport explains, the service allows
you to block people, report foul play, and file official
complaints. He said it was developed with only dating in mind.

"Happn puts the romanticism and
spontaneity back into dating," he says. "You can use it when you
meet someone and want to see them again. Or maybe you see them
all the time but have never been able to say hello. Perhaps
she/he works in the same area, or you met her at a party. You can
discover the people around you.You might meet someone on the train and
want to talk to them, but can't. Happn isn't a game. It's
enriching. There's room for experimentation."

So in 2015, instead of letting that would-be date get away
because you lost his/her number, or fluffed your lines at the
bar, you can find them on Happn and get a second chance.

Author

Rappaport says that he thought up the idea when perusing dating
sites online. There, connecting with others takes time; entering
reams of information tiresome. Instead, he says, Happn takes the
best part of that and makes it instantaneous.

"We are putting the reality into the online world," Rappaport
explains. "It's an experience. If you are visiting an exhibition
or a museum you can check Happn and see who else is there with
you. You'd find who else is there. It stores them in the app."

Rappaport tells me that Happn is doing well. Its user base is
increasing every month, and in addition to the $8 million raised
from DN Capital in
London, there are plans to gain further investment this year.
Happn is already in Paris, London, New York, Sydney, and parts of
South America, and the team wants to see it expand
internationally in the next year or so.